Tricia Curmi's Acceptance Speech

Someone said that true gratitude is inarticulate so please bear with me here.

Thank you to the Women's Infrastructure Network, there are many emerging leaders
here, as is evidenced by the lists of accomplishments of my fellow nominees. I'm
honored to be among you. I am grateful for the opportunity to stand up here and thank
people that I care about. Thank you to the Awards committee and all the amazing
steering committee members who put this event on across the country you've done an
amazing job. Thank you to my fellow talented, smart and strong nominees ­ it is
through leaders like you that things change and equality becomes a reality. Thanks for
all you do to lead us into into a new chapter of women in infrastructure.

Thank you to Marie­Llesse Marc and Kristi Ball for nominating me and reminding me
who I am during one of the toughest times in my life. For this gift I will be forever
grateful, and all the thank you’s in the world would not be enough to acknowledge your
role my recovery. Thank you to Cheryl Neims and Doug Glaser for your letters of
support in this nomination. Cheryl, I'm so happy to have met you and call you a friend ­
you are an amazing leader yourself. Doug, I appreciate being able to work closely on
exciting projects with amazing leaders like you and others, and having your example
and support to guide me.

I'd like to thank the mentors, sponsors and colleagues I've worked with throughout the
years at Kiewit, and at other organizations. It hasn't always been easy, and I have
learned a lot along the way. It is through their candid conversations, their teaching, and
their belief in me I was able to navigate the winding road of my career thus far. To my
parents, Patty and Charlie, I grew up feeling like the world was my oyster, and as long
as I worked hard there would be no limits to what I could do. Although that wasn't
entirely true, it allowed me to learn, grow and forge the skills I needed without the
noise. Thank you to my siblings, my life would not be nearly as full without you in it
and I am blessed to receive the rainbow of your presence in my life. Thank you to my
wonderful network of friends all across the continent ­ the world is a better place with
you in it, and I am inspired every day by how amazing you all are.

And most importantly, thank you to my husband, Michael without you by my side I
would never be strong enough for the challenges, nor have as much fun and love in my
life. I love you so much, almost as much as our dog.

But in all seriousness, I would like to quote Susan B. Anthony who led the women's
suffrage movement in the US. "The day will come when men will recognize woman as
his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then,
will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall
result in the highest development of the race.” It is through awards like this, and
people like all of you out there watching, that this vision continues to become a reality,
lets keep moving forward. Thank you so very much.

Started from an interest expressed from women in the infrastructure industry to network with each other, WIN was initially established informally across Canada. WIN has chapters in Alberta, Ottawa, Québec, Saskatchewan, Toronto, and Vancouver, to bring women together across disciplines.